Daily Diabetic Foot Care Tips

Making healthy food, checking your blood sugar, taking time to be active, keeping up with doctor’s appointments, and taking medicines are some of the things diabetic patients manage. However, through this busy schedule, the feet are the last thing to be remembered but daily diabetic foot care will help prevent diabetic foot complications. Diabetes and Foot Problems are common encounters. Patients with high blood sugar levels cause damage to the nerves known as neuropathy and lessen blood flow. Here are a few steps that will keep your feet in good shape for long. There are simple foot care tips that could be a solution to your sensitive and aching feet during your battle with diabetes.

• Inspect the feet daily

Nerve damage in diabetes causes loss of feeling in your feet even when you get hurt, have sores or cracks. When you inspect your feet, look for color changes, dry or cracked skin, and sores. Check under the feet too by placing a mirror on the floor to see under the feet. You can ask for help from your friend or a relative to inspect areas you cannot see.

• Always wear support friendly footwear

Pay attention to detail when choosing your footwear. Look for shoes with more depth in the toe box and avoid seams inside the shoe and in your socks. Also, ensure good coverage on the top and bottom of the feet and have padded socks made from cotton or another material that controls moisture.

• Use lukewarm water to wash your feet

Wash your feet daily. When you develop nerve damage, it’s hard to tell the temperature of bathwater, do not test the water with your feet. You might be at risk of having damage to your feet such as scalding, burns, and blisters. Use lukewarm water when cleaning.

• Be gentle with your feet

Use a sponge or a soft washcloth to wash the feet. When drying, blot or pat dry and be careful in between the toes.

• Keep your feet moisturized

Use a moisturizer that will keep the dry skin from cracking or itching. Do not moisturize in between the toes to prevent fungal infections.

• See a podiatrist regularly:

When building your healthcare team, take in a podiatrist for regular feet checking and inspection. It helps diagnose feet problems early before they cause feet complications.  You should avoid heading to the pharmacy to get over-the-counter products for your feet because it can increase the risk of infection.

Diabetic foot issues can be very uncomfortable to live with. If you are experiencing pain with diabetes in your feet, contact the podiatrist at DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

• Use orthotic shoes to stabilize and relieve the feet

Having the correct footwear is important, but you will never regret investing in orthotic footwear. Orthotics are great for the protection and comfort of the feet. Diabetic Foot Problems can be avoided when you reduce pressure on the feet. Your podiatrist might recommend them if you have a sore that is not healing or you have an ulcer. There are special orthotics for people with diabetes.